Fire and the Bee
by Kaiva Lukain
Summary: Two of the coldest women is Soul Society come together and really, neither of them are ice....At first I did this as a crack!Fic, but then it started making weird sense. It's a rather logical, unlikely pairing.
1. A sight to behold

**Genre- Humor/romance perhaps even drama**

**Ratings- T for future chapters**

**Pairings- Nanao and Soi - I know, crazy**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Bleach, if I did, man oh man would Soi and Nanao be getting more action, and not necessarily with each other. I'm a huge YoruSoi and ShuNao shipper**

**Enjoy and please leave a review**

Soi Fong dropped her sword wearily on the ground, finally giving in to her body's demand for rest. Sinking down onto the soft grass and leaning against the nearby sakura tree the 2nd division Captain allowed the cool night air to evaporate the sweat on her body, almost chilling her in her black Onmitsu Kidou uniform. The moon illuminated the grove she currently sat in, her only means of light in an otherwise dark forest-like area. She was far from Seiretei, far enough that no one would be able to detect her rietsu without directly looking for her and moving closer, but she didn't think that was a possibility at this time; it was nearly midnight.

Knowing that war and conflict with Aizen and his Arrancar was imminent and forthcoming the ninja Captain devoted all of her time, spare or otherwise, into training her division, her Corps, and herself, leaving little to no time for paltry things such as rest and sustenance. Where her normal rigorous self-training would have ended at 10 pm, she had extended it until, well, until she could handle no more, so perhaps well past the current time. Time was something she believed she had little of, and did her best to accomplish the goal of yet another bankai technique as soon as possible - Suzemabachi willing.

Disliking the activity of lazing, not that she could really call her current activity of resting "lazing", Soi bargained with herself that she would rest for no more than an extra minute, then continue training. But her plan, and desperately needed rest, was interrupted by a thickening rietsu in the air. It was heavy, it was powerful, and it was close. Soi judged it to be around Captain class; if this was an Arrancar, or even Gin and Tousen themselves, Soi knew there was a difficult time ahead of her, half collapsed as she was.

Nevertheless the proud woman flash-stepped towards the rietsu while cloaking her own to avoid detection, and even at the rate she was traveling, the congregation of rietsu vanished before she could arrive there. Cursing mentally Soi refused to blame it on her near exhaustive state, simply her inability, but soon she stopped in her tracks, feeling the rietsu emerge once again. It hadn't vanished, simply gotten less powerful. It was cloaked, but Soi was rather adept at sensing even the best cloaked rietsu's. She was after all, the Commander of the Secret Mobile Corps. Following the rietsu, more carefully this time Soi found herself in a clearing much like the one she was training in herself, and no Arrancar or Espada lurked there, but Nanao Ise, fukotaicho of the 8th division.

When Soi felt a vague familiarity in the reitsu her mind instantly jumped to Gin and Tousen, Shinigami who's rietsu she could somewhat identify, but in reality it was the slightly mysterious Nanao Ise. Nanao almost always was cloaking her rietsu, not enough to hide per say, but enough to hide the signature, explaining why Soi could find her, just not recognize her.

Settling herself onto a tree Soi curiously watched the Lieutenant, whom she thought was naught but a paper pusher, release the full extent of her power, and silently, Soi was impressed. It was powerful for a Vice-Captain, and if Soi didn't know better, good enough to be mistaken for a Captain. In Nanao's hand was her zanpakuto, which Soi observed as an interesting mix of a stiletto and a sai, long, thin and easily concealable. Unfortunately the Captain had not arrived in time to view exactly where Nanao drew the weapon from, but quite a few educated guesses were confirmed and tossed out by what little she did see.

Soi felt the air thicken again as Nanao called up her rietsu, her uniform starting to flail in the wind tunnel created, and a few strands of dark hair wriggling its way to freedom from its usual harsh bun. With a phrase to quiet to hear, the air suddenly exploded in a kind of light, channeling from Nanao's zanpakuto. The sensation was exactly what Soi had experienced before, leading her to the conclusion that Nanao was trying for bankai, and had simply failed at her first attempt.

But after a second Soi realized this attempt and sensation was not exactly the same, this time the power was less, but more more…compact…more controlled in a sense. Soi started a bit, luckily staying silent, as flames seemed to burst from Nanao's sword into a pillar where her zanpakuto pointed at the ground. The pillar of fire built up then suddenly died down, Soi raised a brow as the fire calmed and took the shape of a female lion, sleek with grace, and not burning with untoward rage, simply strong, and Soi had to odd urge to say _passionate_.

It seemed perhaps Nanao Ise had managed to achieve bankai. Or perhaps Soi had thought to soon, Nanao as well.

"You have not the knowledge to seek me," the lion purred, a steel backing to her words as she moved her graceful head towards the somewhat stunned fukotaicho.

"I don't understand what more I have to learn!" Nanao said, frustration leaking into her voice, almost through every pore. It seemed as if this was not the first talk Nanao had with her zanpakuto. The large feline impaled Nanao with it's fiery gaze, and Soi could have sworn even glanced at her for a moment.

"You have not all the knowledge that you can have from those around you, why seek more information from me when you have not sought all from around you?" the lion asked cryptically, "you think to make up your lack of knowledge in one subject with another, instead of understanding, and learning up to your limit in all things." Nanao opened her mouth, obviously intent on responded, but started swaying on her feet. Soi, could instantly see the woman was at her limit, her rietsu almost completely used. The flames comprising the lion wavered, like a mirage, and with a quiet dignity the animal faded into the air.

Soi flash-stepped to Nanao's side within moments, seeing the woman falling backwards, and caught her, their height making the maneuver slightly difficult for the smaller Soi Fong.


	2. From ice to fire to cold

**Genre- Humor/romance perhaps even drama**

**Ratings- T for future chapters**

**Pairings- Nanao and Soi - I know, crazy, but trust me, it'll be worth it**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Bleach, if I did, Kon would get an episode of his, and my, dreams….**

**Enjoy and please leave a review**

_Soi flash-stepped to Nanao's side within moments, seeing the woman falling backwards, and caught her, their height making the maneuver slightly difficult for the smaller Soi Fong. _

All around her was nothing but consuming blackness and her thoughts. She could vaguely feel her body, but not correctly, because the pain she expected to feel didn't come. She felt utterly cold, like she did when none of her rietsu was left, which made sense considering she had a fire type zanpakuto. With a small mental shrug, considering she knew she couldn't move hr body if she wanted to, she simply slid into the blackness and coldness, letting her mind jumble around, trying to sort out what she had just heard.

She just didn't understand, what more did she need to know? What was it that her zanpakuto was trying to say she was lacking in? She was a dabbler in almost everything, from her own curiosity, not her zanpakuto request, she was a master fighter, could defeat near anyone with kido…

Kido…

_You think to make up your lack of knowledge in one subject with another…_

Was it possibly her zanpakuto was criticizing her for avoiding the physical combative arts? She knew the basics, didn't she? From the academy…all those years ago. Realization hit her - she had absolutely no desire to learn them, that was the problem. Her bargain with Oushi Hakushiki, her zanpakuto, was that she _wanted_ to learn everything she could, and in return, with _equal passion_, Oushi Hakushiki would teach Nanao everything she knew. She had dismissed that, and in return, Oushi Hakushiki dismissed her.

Before she could reason anything further, a warming sensation spread into her awareness, traveling through her veins and bringing her mind back to her body, connecting the two once again. As consciousness went through her she became more aware of the aches and pains of her body from overdoing, her body protesting to the nth degree, but also she became more aware of a person with her.

The person was powerful, Nanao could feel their uncloaked rietsu along with their dormant rietsu, fuzzily Nanao hoped it wasn't an Arrancar, healing her to simply kill her later. Once again Nanao felt herself slip back into the blackness, but it was warmer this time, almost pleasant, like sleep. She felt herself being moved, but gently, so perhaps it wasn't an Arrancar.

So who was it?

_Soi flash-stepped to Nanao's side within moments, seeing the woman falling backwards, and caught her, their height making the maneuver slightly difficult for the smaller Soi Fong. _

With a small bit of effort, mainly from awkward maneuvering, Soi was able to lay Nanao down onto the grass, taking an odd bit of care to do so slowly and gently. Normally the small woman would have snorted at the persons incompetence, incapability, and inability to know where their limits were, but something drove her to help, making her catch the falling woman.

Curiosity perhaps. Soi Fong, along with most of Soul Society, had never actually viewed Nanao's zanpakuto, much less watch its materialization, and was shocked to see it was fire type. She was sure it would have been ice type; she had Nanao pegged as an ice queen, almost and very similar to Hitsugaya Toshiro, but there was a burning passion under Nanao's glassy exterior, and that fire seemed to singe Soi, marking her interest.

Nanao's eyes fluttered beneath her closed lids, making Soi Fong wonder what thoughts chased the woman even in her sleep. Perhaps it was the cryptic words her zanpakuto said, actually Soi was sure of it. Nanao Ise was definitely trying for bankai, and her zanpakuto was definitely letting her know something was in the way of that. What it was Soi didn't know, nor had she interest to know. But she did have an odd interest in the woman before her.

Taking off her captain's jacket Soi rolled it up, lifting Nanao's head and shifting it under her, pillow-like. As she did so she observed the unconscious woman carefully. The wrinkle in Nanao's forehead proved its permanence, the lieutenants uniform was spotless and immaculate as always, even after what must have been a long training session, and repeated attempts at bankai, but it was Nanao's expression that snagged Soi's attention the most, it was a look she saw many times, often in the mirror. It was frustration, commitment, and hopelessness all in one. It was the look of someone who wanted what they seemed to never get, and in the case of both women, that translated into power and skill, though the reasoning was probably far from equivocal.

While Soi was observing her fallen companion she noticed a distinct blue-ish pallor falling over Nanao's face, and putting a hand to her forehead her eyebrows shot up. For some reason Nanao's body temperature was dropping, and rapidly at that. Taking her jacket from under Nanao's head Soi lay it over the prone woman, shifting herself into her jacket's previous position under Nanao's head, all the while ignoring the memories and connotations associated with that particular act.

Checking Nanao's forehead again Soi was alarmed to see it was still dropping and Nanao's lips, normally red and livingly flush, was turning dark and blue - not that she had ever noticed Nanao's lips or anything of that crazy sort. Placing her hands on Nanao's shoulders and chest Soi tried to recall the kido needed to conjure a delicate flame. After an attempt of two, the tiny candle like flame appeared, but was flattened to be as wide as Soi's palm, now less of a flame, and more like a warmth. Hopefully the magic would help counteract the drop in Nanao's body temperature.


	3. Awake but not so aware

**Genre- Humor/romance perhaps even drama**

**Ratings- T for future chapters**

**Pairings- Nanao and Soi - I know, crazy, but trust me, it'll be worth it**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Bleach, if I did, Kon would get an episode of his, and my, dreams….**

**Enjoy and please leave a review**

Nanao drifted back and forth from consciousness and sleep, she remembered snatches of things, but couldn't quite place them, like memories from someone else were implanted in her mind somehow. She remembered being carried, she remembered being laid back down, she remembered warmth, but she couldn't really piece anything together.

After a small bit of contemplation, more on the situation than on her zanpakuto, Nanao considered opening her eyes, but with an uncharacteristic laziness, she simply didn't want to, She was comfortable where she was, nothing really hurt, which she was surprised of, and she didn't want to loose that. Plus she rarely got a full night of sleep on a regular day, so the extra rest was greatly appreciated; but as always, Nanao forced herself to get moving and working.

Her eyes fluttered open and was immediately assailed with sunlight. _Sunlight?!_ She had left to train in the evening, venturing into a forest quite a few hours, even with constant shunpo, away from the Gotei, how could it be day time? Panic surged through the strict woman's body as she realized she somehow passed out for the entire night, surely everyone was looking for her, surely 8th division was already burning down by now! Nanao shot up like a rocket, or at least tried to, almost immediately a hand shoved her right back down on her back, on a bed. _A bed?_ no, wait, _a hand?_

Nanao shook her head trying to clear the disorder that currently reigned supreme in her mind. It wasn't like her to miss such details of importance…Memories of someone catching her flashed through her mind as the fogginess cleared, then came memories of a warm touch…so, someone had saved her…

Following the hand on her chest to its owner Nanao felt more panic surge through her and her eyes widen, making her realize she missed yet another point. Her glasses were missing and that _Soi Fong _Taicho was standing over her.

Her first reaction was the reflex of her hand coming to her face, checking to confirm her glasses were gone, the second was to simply stare incredulously at the 2nd division Captain, practically gaping.

Nanao started a bit as Soi Fong grabbed her free hand, the beginning of questions and protests forming on her lips, but once again surprised silent as her glasses were placed in her hand. Quickly Nanao put them on, adjusting them a second longer than necessary trying to regain her composure, after all, to Soi Fong, she was probably considered an idiot, might as well not make that assumption worse.

"A-arigato," Nanao stuttered out, her voice slightly strained, for some reason the captains impassive face made stress and adrenaline pump through her veins. From what she heard of Soi Fong, normally the captain would have simply sniffed and walked away if one of her division did what Nanao did, so Nanao couldn't figure out why she had saved her.

"Domo arigato," Nanao repeated, bowing her head seeing as she couldn't really move. Soi Fong nodded once, her silence starting to make the already off balance Nanao stress more.

"Do itashi mashite," Soi finally said, looking down on the bed ridden patient. With one last look the Captain spun around and left, leaving Nanao dumbfounded once again, and finally questioning her surroundings.

Looking around intently and clearly for the first time Nanao realized she was in a house of some sort, it was well furnished, too much so to be the soldierly Soi Fong's, but not gaudy enough to be high class nobility. It looked like a wealthy middle class person's house, perhaps even a lower ranked noble depending on the size. The room was rather large after all, with brown villa walls and golden accent hues. It was very country, and Nanao concluded she was not far from the clearing she originally came to, but still, that left many questions of where she was left unanswered.

Trying to sit up once more Nanao felt her head spin, Soi Fong Taicho was certainly right in stopping her, and with a groan she lay back down. But, she thought frustrated, at least she was warm, unlike the many times she suffered in her room in Seiretei after using too much rietsu. Resigning herself to being unable to move Nanao let her thoughts wander back to what Oushi Hakushiki had told her. The more she thought about it, the more obvious her neglect and uncaring became. There was no questioning that she had sought to ignore physical combat in favor of kido - she never really took the time to learn it properly, just did enough to get by.

Again a hand startled her as it rest on her forehead, jumping a bit, Nanao didn't relax in the slightest when she realized it was Soi Fong. Soi had a legendary temper, and legendary expectations, Nanao was sure something unpleasant was bound to occur, instead all she received was a sigh.

"I'm not going to kill you, you know, not after the amount of work I put into saving you," Soi said, more than a hint of irritation, _and was it sadness?_, coloring her voice. Nanao blinked a few times and relaxed, Soi Fong had a temper, but she was also as straight laced as they came, surely of all the people in the world she'd get along with her, since they both shared such a trait in common.

"Of course," Nanao said a bit of embarrassment peeking up, "but, can you tell me where we are?" Her natural curiosity, and, even if she was unwilling to admit it, her boredom let her conquer her slight hesitation in talking to the viper tongued captain. But her nervousness was further allayed when Soi did nothing but answer the question, albeit in a slightly cold way, but it certainly was just her normal way.

"This is technically my home, this is where the Fong clan of lower nobles reside, it is actually not that far from the Gotei if you know a straight path, but your temperature worried me too much for me to complete the journey back all the way, so I simply stopped here," Soi explained. As she did so she fussed around, quite like a mother hen Nanao thought, checking her temperature, and the various status of other vitals. "You seem to be well if not exhausted, but I doubt you have the strength to move around much, here take these."

Nanao was tired, and it was hard for her to get her hands to move to accept the glass of water and pills handed to her, but she took them with no resistance, at this point she didn't fear the Captain at all. In fact, the normality and straightforwardness was a complete refreshment from her own Captain, not that she hated the man, but still, it was nice.

"I, I don't know what to say," Nanao said honestly, sitting up slightly under the narrowed and watchful gaze of Soi Fong. She decided not to push her luck and only inched slightly upright a few inches, not daring to sit up all the way after the resulting dizziness of her last couple attempts.

"Rest," Soi said logically with what Nanao could have sworn was a ghost of a smile on her face.

"Wait!" Nanao suddenly called out as Soi turned to leave once more, "I need to tell my Captain!" Blanching Nanao had visions of the office being burned down, or drowned in sake, and sadly, she could see both happening in reality. Astounded Nanao saw an actual smile, not just the barest hint of one on Soi's face, but then it disappeared, making Nanao question her sight.

"It's been handled," Soi responded. The slight lift to her tone betraying her lack of smile, she was still quite amused, "Unohana Taicho said you shouldn't move, that I was right to not take you far, to keep your temperature in the right area, and one of my division was sent to 8th to keep it from….imploding…" Nanao nodded in relief, amusement coming to the surface despite her reign as an ice queen; the comment of imploding was at once ridiculous, and ridiculously possible…


	4. On my mind

**Genre- Humor/romance perhaps even drama**

**Ratings- T for future chapters**

**Pairings- Nanao and Soi - I know, crazy, but trust me, it'll be worth it**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Bleach, I'm just borrowing to…play with… .**

**I was feeling extra nice today, and I had some ideas bouncing around, so I decided to give you guys yet another update. **

**So enjoy and please leave a review!**

Nanao looked out over her desk through the window into the afternoon sun, and Shunsui was utterly confused. His Nanao-chan never daydreamed, never had her thoughts wander, or ever got distracted, not even when he did his little strip dance! All he got then for his troubles were large objects being hurled at him, and his busy little bee went right back to work. So this odd behavior completely astounded him.

He HAD to know!

"Nanao-chan!" Shunsui cooed hoping to perhaps take advantage of Nanao's absent mind…was smacked squarely in the face with a heavy tome.

"What is it," Nanao said irritably, scribbling furiously once again, in fact she was going at it with so much gusto he almost thought she was acting normal, but again the tell tale sign of slowing came again and this time Shunsui caught her gaze as it wandered out somewhere to the horizon.

"You're acting strange Nanao…" Shunsui questioned, his voice quiet and holding none of the annoying humor it normally did. Normally in response Nanao would scowl, yell at him, hit him, and then proceed with her work, but this wasn't normally, nothing was normal anymore. At least not to her. Instead she kept still in his gaze, nodded once and went back to work. Shunsui kept uncharacteristically quiet, knowing Nanao would finally speak up herself when she knew what she wanted to say, and finally it came, even as she continued her tedious scribbling.

"I know how to achieve bankai," Nanao said without preamble. Shunsui prepared himself to be calm for whatever Nanao had to say, but this was definitely not what he was expecting, then again, his hope that she'd confess her love for him was rather unfounded….

"Is that bad?" Shunsui asked a little flabbergasted, Nanao had actually sounded like it was a death sentence. When Nanao sighed, a crease appearing in her forehead, Shunsui knew there was much more to the story.

"I know how, but I'm not capable of it," Nanao said, the crease getting deeper and frustration sharpening her voice, "that's worse than not knowing." finally setting down her writing utensil Nanao let her gaze wander to the window. "I need to learn how to fight," Nanao announced, but then shook her head, editing her words, "I want to learn how to fight."

Again Shunsui didn't know what to say, Nanao did know how to fight in his opinion, she could stand with the best of them, her kido was insanely impressive, better than Hinamori, and everyone was hoping, better than Aizen. So what was she talking a - _ahhh._ Looking out the window, the training yard of the 8th division could clearly be seen. As usual no one was on them, but he finally understood. Nanao meant physical hand to hand combat, not kido. How this related to bankai he didn't know, perhaps her zanpakuto did not think she was strong enough physically to handle bankai. It happened to Ukitake Taicho after all, so why not Nanao? Of course once Ukitake proved his illness was no restriction, well, everything only improved from there…

"I could try and train you, but I am less of a combat fighter as well, one of the reasons I wanted a kido vice-captain," Shunsui said surprising Nanao when she realized what she had meant. Sometimes she truly underestimated her Captain. "Ukitake isn't much of a combat fighter, I would have normally said see Aizen, but well…" trailing off Shunsui threw himself on the office couch, scratching his chin in thought.

"How about Zaraki Taicho?" he said raising his eyebrows under the large ridiculous hat her always wore. He almost snickered in the horrified way Nanao looked back at him.

"I'm looking for technique," Nanao gritted out shuddering at the awful thought, "not brainlessly bashing one another." Shunsui let out a small chuckle, immediately quieting as he saw the fan raise threateningly, but then an idea struck him. "Go to the Corps commander, Soi Fong Taicho!" he said enthusiastically nearly falling off the couch with excitement, "she's a master of technique and hand to hand combat, she trains the secret mobile corps so she knows how to teach, and she's definitely on task enough for you to get along!"

Shunsui say back with a satisfied smirk on his face, taking a swig of sake from a bottle he got from who knew where in the office. Nanao on the other hand was not as pleased. It had been only days since Soi Fong had taken her back to the Gotei, directly to 4th division, and promptly disappeared again, and Nanao was still embarrassed and humiliated from the whole thing, not to mention confused. In the day that she had stayed at what amounted to Soi Fong's private home, all her conceptions of the captain had been set on ear.

Soi Fong wasn't a cruel bitch, just a focused and driven one. They had quite a few conversations, about literature, the war, practical matters of the Gotei, and Nanao found Soi articulate and intelligent - in fact, the whole thing was almost…pleasant. Soi was exactly someone with whom Nanao could get along with easily, no headaches, no misadventures, and no trouble, but it was far from dull. It was intellectual, which the logical Nanao enjoyed. Of course none of that could erase the humiliation she felt at being seen as helpless and stupid. Soi Fong never came out and said that, but either way Nanao thought it, and surely was Soi Fong.

But no matter how she looked at it, dissected it, examined it, Shunsui was right, Soi Fong was exactly who she was looking for…


End file.
